September 4, 2012, - 5:16 pm
No Toys For You: Obamaconomy Worst US Toy Market Ever Says Lego Chief; But Sales of Girls’ Construction Sets Up!
Over the past couple of years, I’ve given you many stark indicators of how bad the Obamaconomy is, including: dollar store purchases are way down (No Dolla? Holla!), diaper purchases are down and new parents are going longer between changing diapers on their babies (causing increased rashes and medical problems), and sales by the maker of Spam are up 16%. And now there is the Obama Toy Index. The chief of Lego says the current economic climate in the U.S. is the worst for toys that he’s ever seen. For the record, while I loved Legos as a kid (though my favorite toys were Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, and Stikki Wikkis–all of which were a precursor to my interest in architecture and design), if I had kids today, I would not buy them Lego merchandise because Denmark and its people–the ungreat Danes–are extremely anti-Israel. That said, Lego’s top exec’s statements are another loud sign of a crumbling America under Barack Obama. But don’t worry about Lego–the company is doing well by taking a page out of the NOW feminist hag playbook. The company remains profitable because its toys are now aimed at girls–including a girls’ contruction set. Can’t wait until the Lego panties and bustier for boys. We’re headed that way, it seems.
The chief executive of Lego A/S signaled deep concern about the U.S. toy market on Friday even after the Danish toy maker reported a solid first-half performance. . . .
Lego is the third-biggest toy maker in the world, after Mattel Inc. and Hasbro Inc., both of which are based in the U.S., and it has about 8% of the global market share. The Billund, Denmark, company is closely held.
Despite Lego’s momentum through June, Chief Executive Jørgen Vig Knudstorp said in an interview that the approaching presidential elections, rising debt and economic uncertainty are weighing on the critical U.S. market.
“The U.S. consumer is still quite heavily indebted, and with an election coming up, whoever gets elected, taxes will go up and government spending will go down,” Mr. Knudstorp said. “So what will that do to consumer spending? So there’s a big factor of uncertainty in the U.S.”
Mr. Knudstorp, a 10-year veteran of the toy industry, said clouds have already formed over the U.S. toy market: “These six months have been the most negative toy market that I have seen in the U.S…so that worries us.”
While concerned about the stability of the U.S. market, Mr. Knudstorp said he is confident Lego can post double-digit growth in the Americas over the coming five to 10 years. . . .
Lego has benefited from new product introductions. Mr. Knudstorp said the company’s big launch in 2012 is an in-house development called Lego Friends, which are construction toys aimed at girls. The company sold twice as many sets as expected in the first six months.
Yup, we need more girls in construction jobs! That’s the ticket. Not long before the Lego Mr. Mom kit and testicle lock box for boys comes out.
In any event, the toy market is bad in America . . . unless you are buying your young daughter a Lego construction kit. As far as I know, Lego hasn’t yet caught up to the market with a Department of Homeland Security/Former ICE Chief of Staff male harassment Lego set.
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Here’s my favorite example of “Lego-cana”: the Lego re-enactment video of a scene from “Crocodile Dundee.” If only Mick Dundee were running for Prez, he’d get my vote . . .
That’s not a knife. That’s a knife.
Tags: Barack Obama, Denmark, Denmark anti-Israel, Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, Lego, Lego Friends, Obamaconomy, toys, U.S. toy market, weak U.S. toy market
Anyone remember when the toy department had several different kinds of toy guns? And re creating WW2 battles in the neighborhood every night. Nobody wanted to be the Germans for some reason.
RT on September 4, 2012 at 5:44 pm